How To Best Sharpening System for Your Knife

[Centuriator]

SPYERDCO SHARPMAKER: The Original and the Best

I've been sharpening knives for over fifty years and have seen all the fads, all the purists pining over their stones, etc. etc. etc.

Several years ago I started using Spyderco's Sharpmaker and have never looked back.

I bought the basic unit and the coarser rods and the finer rods.

With them, used correctly, my blades are always "hair shaving" sharp and more than perfect for any use I require of them: from hunting, every-day stuff, self-defense, to cutting pieces of paper to prove how sharp they are

I prefer to try their sharpness on my leg hair, which always leave my wife kind of curious about just "What in the world are you doing? I'm the only one in this family who shaves my legs." Me: "Yes, honey and they are very beautiful and smooth legs, but ... I need to test my blades."

The Sharpmaker is the perfect tool once you get over an obsessive compulsive need to use stones and assorted wizardry on your blades.

This is the BEST video demonstrating the system I've seen:

 

[jpm2]

I've been sharpening for as long as you say, and consider the sharpmaker a good compliment to my bench and hand held stones... but in no way replaces them.

 

[Eli Chaps]

I've been sharpening for 40 odd years and in no way is the Sharpmaker superior to bench stones. In fact, I don't even consider the Sharpmaker on the short list of systems.

 

[AntDog]

SPYERDCO SHARPMAKER: The Original and the Best

I've been sharpening knives for over fifty years and have seen all the fads, all the purists pining over their stones, etc. etc. etc.

Several years ago I started using Spyderco's Sharpmaker and have never looked back.

I bought the basic unit and the coarser rods and the finer rods.

With them, used correctly, my blades are always "hair shaving" sharp and more than perfect for any use I require of them: from hunting, every-day stuff, self-defense, to cutting pieces of paper to prove how sharp they are

I prefer to try their sharpness on my leg hair, which always leave my wife kind of curious about just "What in the world are you doing? I'm the only one in this family who shaves my legs." Me: "Yes, honey and they are very beautiful and smooth legs, but ... I need to test my blades."

The Sharpmaker is the perfect tool once you get over an obsessive compulsive need to use stones and assorted wizardry on your blades.

This is the BEST video demonstrating the system I've seen:

You are aware the Sharpmaker is literally a mix of stones and assorted wizardry, correct?

Also, I’m fairly certain the Sharpmaker is not the original or first angled sharpener.

 

[Ourorboros]

I think it's probably the fastest way to get somebody started.
It seems limited, people also have problems with tips.
Benchstones will be more flexible.

 

[kreisler]

i haven't been using it for 3 weeks? time flies, can't remember exactly.
iirc the last time it was for sharpening one or the other chef knife, and i make use of only 204M with them. the lazy sharpener (me not product).

hope this post is as helpful as the op

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Sharpmaker is a very handy tool in specific circumstances, so long as the edge of the blade doesn't need a whole lot of reshaping or heavy grinding. If the blade needs such heavy work, there are myriad different and better, faster ways to do it, starting with larger, coarser stones for example. Setting new bevels on an appropriately coarse and large bench stone can be done in 15-30 minutes for most knives, sometimes much less than that, down to maybe 5 minutes with pocketknife blades. Same job done on the Sharpmaker could take hours with some blades, even smaller ones. Bench stones allow use of much greater grinding pressure and much faster, longer passes. Sharpmaker can't be used that way without completely losing control of the process.

It's been said here before, the Sharpmaker would be more aptly named 'SharpKeeper'. If the edge has been worked to good geometry beforehand and hasn't been allowed to dull or degrade too far from that, it's a great tool for maintaining it along the way. Additionally, it can be a great refinement tool to enhance an already sharp edge as a follow-up to other sharpening methods. I've liked using the medium rods on the SM as a refinement step beyond blades I've otherwise 'finished' on my Norton India stone, for example. Takes sharpness up another notch or two from that step, with just a very few, very light passes on the medium SM rods.

It has it's place and it's worthy of a lot of respect, which it gets. But it's definitely not a universal sharpening tool for all possible scenarios.

 

[Centuriator]

I purchased the diamond rods for the Sharpmaker and they have done very well for me without the kind of times you are referring to (hours?).

I have the coarsest rods available and the finest rods available and while I'm sure it is an enjoyable pastime doing more to an edge, I am content with hair shaving sharpness I get from the Sharpmaker.

I know that old school stones are the bee-knees among blade guys here, but I've been there, done that, and the Sharpmaker is just fine for my needs at this point in my life.

I've used the system to take a rather dull issue-bayonet blade and get it to razor sharp in not much time at all, using the coarse rods and on down.

 

[r8shell]

You are aware the Sharpmaker is literally a mix of stones and assorted wizardry, correct?

Exactly. Rather than holding a blade at an angle on flat stones, you're holding a blade straight on angled stones.
I get faster results freehanding, but will then maintain the edge on the SharpMaker, rather than using a strop. (I just can't seem to get stropping down)

Different methods and equipment work for different people. I don't believe there's really a Best System for everyone.

 

[Centuriator]

A person looking for a way to get a razor-sharp edge on the vast majority of blades out there will not find a better "system" or "kit" than the Sharpmaker system. I stand by that assertion and encourage folks to check it out for themselves.